AU's new collar. : )

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Stormy Peak
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AU's new collar. : )

Post by Stormy Peak »

When I had HaHa, my other golden retriever, he came from the shelter with a narrow but long collar. It's solid blue, a nylon collar 5/8 inch wide x 24 inches long. He wore it at about 23 inches, and it hung fairly loose on him without sliding up around his ears when he lowered his head. It's now is 'retired' and hanging on a hook with it's leash along with those of other dogs I've had in the past.

When I got my golden, AU, I found out it was Really hard to find a collar that narrow and long. Any thing longer than 22 inches, the width would jump up to 1 inch. He's slightly bigger than HaHa was, and for a loose fit, needs a 24 inch collar. I managed to find AU a solid green nylon collar 5/8 inches wide but it's only 22 inches and a bit more snug than I like, but I can still get 2 fingers under it so it's not tight. And, it has a feature on it I hate, that when I bought it, I just didn't think about it all that much.

It has 1 metal circular ring, and the plastic snap-buckle has to be threaded through it before it can be snapped into the other part of the buckle. It's an absolute pain to get on and off....and I Have to unsnap the leash from that ring to buckle or unbuckle the collar. His I.D. tag is on that ring too, and it's ring has to be moved to the side to get the buckle past it. I can't even by-pass it, and pull the collar off his head, since it's too snug to pull over his ears.

I only put AU's collar on when I take him with me, so putting that collar on and off while slightly bent over, is also murder on my bad back. I wanted to get rid of it several weeks after buying it. But, I haven't been able to find a collar that was both narrow and long. I like the narrower size because the 1 inch wide ones are so stiff and when trying a few on AU, he seemed uncomfortable wearing them.

Every once in a while I would Google for custom sized dog collars, but would be sent to places that offered embroidery or bling for collars, rather than custom sizes, or the site would offer just leather and/or martingale collars often with the prong type buckle rather than snap-buckles. I also like narrower nylon better because it's supple, and it doesn't smell like a dog treat. Yeah, I've had a few leather collars end up that way. :roll: :P

I finally found a site that will make a narrow, long collar. I was able to order a 5/8 x 29 inches collar (adjusts from 17 to 29 inches) so I can make it 24 inches long for AU. I ordered a matching leash in the width I want for it too...I wanted it wider, and it will show of the pattern better. It's 6 foot x 1 inch wide.

It's probably more than what I should be spending (total is a bit over $40) but my birthday is coming up on the 14th, and I've been saving my dimes and quarters all year to buy myself something I wanted...but, yep...now I'm spending a bit of it on the dog instead..lol. :P (dimes and quarters add up...I'll still have about $150 left :) )

Here's the pattern and collar I ordered. It's called shimmering pine cone. I think the white and greens will look good against AU's golden hair and his red tag will look good with it too.

Image


This is what AU's tag looks like...his name and my contact information is on the flip side.

Image

His current collar which still looks almost brand new, I'll donate to our local shelter. I think I spent about $17.00 for it...so it's not a cheap one either. It won't be a bad collar for someone who keeps it on their dog all the time.

Anyone else with dogs or horses who get kind of picky about equipment?...lol. This isn't a major deal in my life but it was just enough of an annoyance that I've wanted to change it for over a year and half. :P

Stormy
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Jo Ferris
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Re: AU's new collar. : )

Post by Jo Ferris »

Dog collars, my first dog who's now 10 years old scarred me from any type of buckle collar, he broke them all, plastic buckles, metal (how, I have no idea), even the seatbelt type and he had selective hearing so when he got loose, he straight up didn't hear you, thankfully he knew the dinner bell, quite a few times he'd take off, ring that and a minute or two later depending on how far he got there he is running as fast as he can to come in. These days I have a fenced yard in the city so don't have the issue of needing to tie my dogs on a long line. Even so, my pet dogs I only use all nylon martingale no buckle type collars, Ruby's the only exception, her everyday not on leash collar is a plastic buckle because I wanted the pattern, but she has a no buckle martingale for when she's on leash. I don't have huge dogs, my biggest is 65lbs on a good day, so they're 1/2 inch width which I love, Ruby's again, the odd one out, her's is 1 inch width. The one I got for my old dog he's had for 7-8 years, at least, still in good condition, he's never broke one.
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Stormy Peak
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Re: AU's new collar. : )

Post by Stormy Peak »

Jo Ferris wrote: 4 years ago .........my pet dogs I only use all nylon martingale no buckle type collars, Ruby's the only exception, her everyday not on leash collar is a plastic buckle because I wanted the pattern.........
Jaya, my feral has a 1 inch wide nylon martingale, plastic buckle with a matching 6 foot x 1 inch leash in a peacock feather design. I've been using her leash with AU, since AU's collar is solid green and they look ok. But when I have both dogs, I've been using a leash from one of my past dogs, Ernie's leash which is about 5/8ths wide x 6 foot. I've found the wider leash is easier on my hand too, when a dog is pulling on it...it doesn't 'bite' into the palm as much.
Jaya will pull and sometimes fight (or I should say panic) thus the wide leash and the martingale.

AU has never been much for pulling on the leash, and has never tried to slip out of a collar. AU probably weighs about 75 pounds and Jaya around 65 pounds.

One thing with Jaya now, is that if she did get loose, I don't think she will run away now. She's come to trust me enough to follow me, even if not leashed....and she will jump into the back of the car on her own too. When I first got her, she was first on a tie down, then a drag line, and finally would come when I called her in. I use to be Terrified she would get out the front door...as there's no fencing. But now I can let her out with AU, and I can like get groceries out of the car and not worry that Jaya will take off and know she will come back in with me and AU.

I've never had one of those plastic buckles break, but I've seen dogs that looked so muscled up that they look like they could break metal ones! I trained AU with the loose leash method...when he pulls.. I stop and we don't go any where until he takes the tension off of the leash. It's a Very Very slow process at the start, but once the dog realizes what is expected in order to move forward, it's a good thing. With my bad back, I can't have a constant strain of a 75 pound dog pulling on it or jerking me about. I wince every time I see someone with a full choke chain on their dog, or worse prongs. There are ways to train without using pain...or the dog risking a bruised or even punctured neck from a choke or prongs. A martingale is great for keeping a dog from slipping a collar without choking them...I was sure glad when I found out about them when I got Jaya...she was an escape artist when it came to collars and harnesses.

Stormy
SIRES: Turf Routers - Each multiple G1 winners

Tuck Everlasting
Fee $30,500

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Jo Ferris
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Re: AU's new collar. : )

Post by Jo Ferris »

Stormy Peak wrote: 4 years ago I've never had one of those plastic buckles break, but I've seen dogs that looked so muscled up that they look like they could break metal ones! I trained AU with the loose leash method...when he pulls.. I stop and we don't go any where until he takes the tension off of the leash. It's a Very Very slow process at the start, but once the dog realizes what is expected in order to move forward, it's a good thing. With my bad back, I can't have a constant strain of a 75 pound dog pulling on it or jerking me about. I wince every time I see someone with a full choke chain on their dog, or worse prongs. There are ways to train without using pain...or the dog risking a bruised or even punctured neck from a choke or prongs. A martingale is great for keeping a dog from slipping a collar without choking them...I was sure glad when I found out about them when I got Jaya...she was an escape artist when it came to collars and harnesses.
I seriously have no idea how he did it, he's not a big dog, not even that strong, but he can sure break buckles. He's a GSD/Lab/Collie, tops out at about 55lbs on a very good day, usually stays right around 50lbs. Very agile looking, he's not bulky at all. He's 10 now so he's now great on leash, this was when he was about a year old. That being said, he still hasn't outgrown his selective hearing, lol!

I LOVE the nylon and nylon with the chain partial choker martingales for training, keeps the collar in the right spot so the dog doesn't have the reflex to pull harder. Very effective when used right. Full chokes and prong collars make me sick, there's no reason why a dog should have to have those as the only collar on leash, if they do, probably time to do some training sessions. I've only used full chokes as a safety backup if a collar were to break, again, I have a dog who breaks buckles with no good recall, I learned to like having a backup. Leash is clipped to both collars, full choke would only engage if the regular collar broke. If a martingale isn't enough I like headcollars, gives you far more control whilst not being harmful, my Pit/Husky/ACD is at the point where all I need to do is put the headcollar on, don't have to clip the leash on it most of the time, just need it on as a mental reminder she's on leash and needs to heel.
Arabian:
Money Run Low - 7.5k
Cass Ole - 5k
Mugello - 5k
All I'll Praise - 5k
Zandvoort - 10k

Paint:
Toby Flenderson - 15k
One In The Woods - 5k
We Can Be Heros - 5k
FLD Eclipse - 3.5k
Scooter - 3.5k
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